Grand Rapids Magazine

WYCE 88.1 FM is being recognized for its commitment to elevating local voices, earning a 2026 Hometown Media Award for its Community Closeup program. A program of the Grand Rapids Community Media Center, WYCE received the Community Impact Award from the Alliance for Community Media Foundation, which honors excellence in community media programming. The annual Hometown Media Awards recognize programs that demonstrate creativity, address community needs and encourage diverse community involvement.

Co-owner Drew Rosema, Tellers Lounge. Photo by Kristen Norman. Attention, foodies: There’s a new culinary dynamic duo along the SoDIV corridor of Heartside. The same day Chef Trinell Hawkins opened Trust, his upscale “New American Soul” restaurant at 117 Division Ave. S (see Page TK), Tellers Lounge started serving craft cocktails, beer and wine next door at 115 SoDIV.

Photo courtesy of Creston Neighborhood Association. For seven years, the Creston Garden Tour has invited visitors to see the neighborhood through a different lens—one shaped by native plants, backyard harvests, cottage-inspired designs and the personal touches of the gardeners who nurture them. The 7th Annual Creston Garden Tour returns Saturday, July 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering a self-guided journey through 13 gardens across Northeast Grand Rapids.

Photo by Elizabeth Granger. Visitors eager to step inside Grand Haven’s iconic south pier lighthouse will have to press pause for a few days. Safety closures related to ongoing pier stabilization work have temporarily blocked access to the lighthouse through July 13. Once the project is complete, however, visitors can once again experience something generations of beachgoers only dreamed about: seeing the inside of one of West Michigan’s most recognizable landmarks.

Photo courtesy of Holland Garden Club. Looking for an excuse to spend a summer day outdoors? The Holland Garden Club’s annual Heritage in Bloom Garden Tour offers a chance to stroll through some of Holland’s most beautiful historic neighborhoods while supporting local community projects. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 11, visitors can enjoy a self-guided tour of 10 distinctive gardens nestled throughout Holland’s Historic District.

John Mellencamp will perform at Acrisure Amphitheater Friday, July 10, 2026. Photo courtesy of the artist. There’s no shortage of ways to spend a summer weekend in Grand Rapids. Whether you’re chasing live music, cheering on elite pickleball players, catching a Broadway favorite, exploring local art or simply looking for a memorable night out, the city has plenty on the calendar. Here are a few events worth adding to your weekend plans.

Summer fruit season overlaps just long enough to make a little kitchen magic. Rhubarb is winding down, strawberries are hitting their sweet spot, and farmers markets are overflowing with the flavors we wait all year to enjoy. This small-batch freezer jam captures that fleeting moment—bright berries balanced by rhubarb’s signature tartness—without a canning marathon or needing enough jars on hand to feed the whole neighborhood.

Still from the film "Walter Grace and the Submarine." Image courtesy of the filmmakers. Film festivals are generally associated with red carpets, celebrity sightings and coveted invitations. But the fourth annual Cans Film Festival is taking a decidedly more down-to-earth approach: Skip the ticket. Bring a can.

Rosa Parks Circle is filled with swing dancers on a summer Tuesday night. Photo courtesy of DGRI. For decades, Rosa Parks Circle has been one of downtown Grand Rapids’ most recognizable gathering spots — a place where people have danced, celebrated, protested, skated and simply taken a seat in the middle of the city. This summer, the iconic downtown plaza is adding even more reasons to stop by.

Venetian Drawings and Soft Cylinders Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan, installed 2026. © Chihuly Studio. Photo by Nathaniel Wilson. Dale Chihuly’s relationship with the Meijer family dates back to the early 2000s, and over the years, his work has become a familiar and much-anticipated presence at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Now he’s back with the largest and most comprehensive body of work he’s ever shown there.